1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci

2.
United States Army Air Forces
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Each of these forces had a commanding general who reported directly to the Army Chief of Staff. S. Army to control its own installations and support personnel, the peak size of the AAF during the Second World War was over 2.4 million men and women in service and nearly 80,000 aircraft by 1944, and 783 domestic bases in December 1943. By V-E Day, the Army Air Forces had 1.25 million men stationed overseas, in its expansion and conduct of the war, the AAF became more than just an arm of the greater organization. By the end of World War II, the Army Air Forces had become virtually an independent service and this contrast between theory and fact is. fundamental to an understanding of the AAF. Gen. Billy Mitchell that led to his later court-martial, a strategy stressing precision bombing of industrial targets by heavily armed, long-range bombers emerged, formulated by the men who would become its leaders. Since 1920, control of units had resided with commanders of the corps areas. Both were created in 1933 when a conflict with Cuba seemed possible following a coup détat. Activation of GHQ Air Force represented a compromise between strategic airpower advocates and ground force commanders who demanded that the Air Corps mission remain tied to that of the land forces. GHQ Air Force organized combat groups administratively into a force of three wings deployed to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts but was small in comparison to European air forces. Corps area commanders continued to control over airfields and administration of personnel. The expected activation of Army General Headquarters prompted Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall to request a study from Chief of the Air Corps Maj. Gen. Henry H. Arnold resulting on 5 October 1940 in a proposal for creation of an air staff, unification of the air arm under one commander, and equality with the ground and supply forces. Marshall implemented a compromise that the Air Corps found entirely inadequate, naming Arnold as acting Deputy Chief of Staff for Air but rejecting all organizational points of his proposal. GHQ Air Force instead was assigned to the control of Army General Headquarters, although the latter was a training and not an operational component, when it was activated in November 1940. A division of the GHQ Air Force into four air defense districts on 19 October 1940 was concurrent with the creation of air forces to defend Hawaii. The air districts were converted in March 1941 into numbered air forces with an organization of 54 groups. Marshall had come to the view that the air forces needed a simpler system, Arnold and Marshall agreed that the AAF would enjoy a general autonomy within the War Department until the end of the war, while its commanders would cease lobbying for independence. Marshall, a proponent of airpower, left understood that the Air Force would likely achieve its independence following the war

3.
Hamilton Army Airfield
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Hamilton Field was a United States Air Force base that was inactivated in 1973, decommissioned in 1974, and put into a caretaker status with the Air Force Reserves until 1976. It was transferred to the United States Army in 1983 and redesignated an Army Airfield until its closure pursuant to BRAC action in 1988 and it is located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay in the southern portion of Novato, in Marin County, California. Thirteen days later Hamilton died in action near Lagnicourt, France, what would eventually become Hamilton Air Force Base has its origins in the late 1920s, when the airfield was first established. Then, with development beginning, it was named Hamilton Field on July 12,1932. Construction of the airfield began about July 1,1932, with the airfield being originally designed to accommodate four bomb squadrons, the Hamilton Field Station Complement replaced the 70th Service Squadron on March 1,1935. The U. S. Weather Bureau had a cooperative weather station on the base from 1934 to 1964. Hamilton Field was originally a bomber installation, on May 5,1934, the first planes assigned to Hamilton were Martin B-10 and B-12 bombers of the 7th Bombardment Group, having been transferred from March Airfield. Shortly thereafter, amphibious aircraft of the 88th Observation Squadron were assigned to Hamilton. The B-12 bombers housed at Hamilton Field were phased out in 1937, the B-18 was a standard two-engine short-range bomber, and was capable of airlifting combat-equipped troops en masse, an important advance in combat techniques at the time. Because the runway at Hamilton Field was not adequate for the B-17, in 1939, the 7th Bombardment Group was designated a heavy bomb group and was moved to Fort Douglas, Utah on September 7,1940, to train with B-17s. Hamilton became a base under the USAAC Air Force Combat Command in December 1940. The 9th PW was reassigned from March Field, bringing the 14th, the arrival of the pursuit wings and their crews caused crowding at the base and initiated the first of many housing problems. After leaving Hamilton, and flying all through the night, the bombers arrived over Oahu on the morning of December 7,1941, the B-17s had arrived over Oahu during the Japanese air attack on Hawaii which triggered American entry into World War II. They arrived at Pearl Harbor at the height of the attack, the B-17Es of the 7th Bombardment Group were moved back to Hamilton from Utah for deployment to the Far East. Six of them arrived in Hawaii just after the Pearl Harbor attack, during World War II, Hamilton was an important West Coast air training facility. Its mission was that of a training base for newly formed fighter groups. The ATC West Coast Wing was headquartered at the airfield, with the 64th Transport Group being assigned early in 1942, the 1503rd AAF Base Unit was also stationed here. In the initial years, Hamilton remained Air Transport Commands primary West Coast facility until 1948 when Military Air Transport Service moved most activities to nearby Travis AFB

4.
California
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California is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area. Located on the western coast of the U. S, California is bordered by the other U. S. states of Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California. Los Angeles is Californias most populous city, and the second largest after New York City. The Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nations second- and fifth-most populous urban regions, California also has the nations most populous county, Los Angeles County, and its largest county by area, San Bernardino County. The Central Valley, an agricultural area, dominates the states center. What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony. The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its war for independence. The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California, the California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes, with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom. If it were a country, California would be the 6th largest economy in the world, fifty-eight percent of the states economy is centered on finance, government, real estate services, technology, and professional, scientific and technical business services. Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the states economy, the story of Calafia is recorded in a 1510 work The Adventures of Esplandián, written as a sequel to Amadis de Gaula by Spanish adventure writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. The kingdom of Queen Calafia, according to Montalvo, was said to be a land inhabited by griffins and other strange beasts. This conventional wisdom that California was an island, with maps drawn to reflect this belief, shortened forms of the states name include CA, Cal. Calif. and US-CA. Settled by successive waves of arrivals during the last 10,000 years, various estimates of the native population range from 100,000 to 300,000. The Indigenous peoples of California included more than 70 distinct groups of Native Americans, ranging from large, settled populations living on the coast to groups in the interior. California groups also were diverse in their organization with bands, tribes, villages. Trade, intermarriage and military alliances fostered many social and economic relationships among the diverse groups, the first European effort to explore the coast as far north as the Russian River was a Spanish sailing expedition, led by Portuguese captain Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, in 1542. Some 37 years later English explorer Francis Drake also explored and claimed a portion of the California coast in 1579. Spanish traders made unintended visits with the Manila galleons on their trips from the Philippines beginning in 1565

5.
20th Operations Group
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The 20th Operations Group is a component of the 20th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Combat Command. It is stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, the 20th Operations Group is a successor organization of the 20th Pursuit Group, one of the 15 original combat air groups formed by the US Army before World War II. During World War II the 20th Fighter Group was an Eighth Air Force fighter unit stationed in England, assigned to RAF Kings Cliffe in 1943. It was the oldest USAAF group to be assigned to the Eighth Air Force for an extended period and it was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for a sweep over Germany on 8 April 1944. The 20th Operations Group is the component of the 20th Fighter Wing. The 20th OG flies the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon and its tail code is SW, and consists of the following squadrons, 55th Fighter Squadron, Fighting Fifty-Fifth Organized on 9 August 1917. 77th Fighter Squadron, “Gamblers” Organized on 20 February 1918, in February 2003, the squadron deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 79th Fighter Squadron, “Tigers” First activated in February 1918, in June 1999, the 79th deployed F-16CJs in support of Operation Allied Force to a bare base in Southwest Asia. 20th Operations Support Squadron, “Mustangs” First organized on 25 January 1943, the squadron is responsible for all airfield activities and associated support of the 20th Fighter Groups fighter missions. Upon activation, the group welcomed the arrival of the first of many famous airmen to grace its ranks, Major Clarence L. Tinker, its first commander, led the group until 13 October 1932. Major Tinker, part Osage Indian, gained fame as Major General Tinker, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, was named in his honor a year after his death during the Battle of Midway in 1942. On 15 May 1931 the 20th PG made a trip while going on maneuvers. These maneuvers were part of the first of its kind for the Air Corps, “The Great Air Armada” put on shows in Chicago, New York City, Boston, and Washington, DC. The maneuvers consisted of all Air Corps aircraft with the exception of basic trainers, the Group remained at Mather Field for a little less than two years until 15 October 1932. On that date an advance party of more than 200 officers, enlisted men and they traveled through the Panama Canal and debarked at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 30 October 1932. On the following day, they arrived at Barksdale Field, Louisiana, just prior to its transfer to Barksdale, the group was assigned, along with the 3rd Attack Group, to the 3rd Attack Wing in June 1932. The 3rd Attack Wing and Group operated out of Fort Crockett, by February 1933 when Barksdale Field was formally dedicated, the groups training program was in full operation. In October 1934, the group, made its first aircraft transition—from the P-12 to the Boeing P-26 Peashooter and this open cockpit monoplane had a 600 horsepower engine and a top speed of 253 miles per hour

6.
12th Operations Group
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The 12th Operations Group is the flying component of the 12th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, the units main missions include T-6, T-38C and T-1 aircraft instructor pilot training, combat systems officer training and fighter fundamentals student pilot instructor training in the AT-38C. In June 1942, while in the United States for a conference with President Franklin D and he immediately made an urgent plea for military aid to help stop Rommel from over-running Egypt and the Arabian oil fields. The unit arrived in August, and were assigned to the USAAF Ninth Air Force, as soon as they arrived in Egypt the group began training under the tutelage of a South African Air Force Boston wing in desert warfare tactics and navigation. There was no rest for anyone as ground crews rushed to refuel, reload bombs and ammunition, by 4 November, the targets suddenly became mammoth columns of tanks, trucks and troops retreating to the west. American forces under General Dwight D. Eisenhower landed in Algeria and Morocco, the situation became desperate as they drove the Americans back through Kasserine Pass. The combat crews had flown over and had set up their tents. This was the last significant action of the 12th as part of the Ninth Air Force, the 12th was reassigned to the Twelfth Air Force. In August 1943, the group operating out of Foggia Airfield. The 12th attacked German targets in support of the American Fifth Army, from November until late January 1944, the 12th bombed aerodromes, docks, marshaling yards, bridges, and other targets in Italy, Yugoslavia, and Albania. The 12th was equipped with new B25Hs and B-25Js and flew its first mission as part of the Tenth Air Force, bombing Japanese supply dumps at Mogaung, Burma, after three weeks of ammo runs, the British had defeated the Japanese invasion and prevented their invasion of India. The combat crews flew the A-26s to Frankfurt, Germany, on return to United States in 1946, the 12th Bombardment Group was immediately inactivated. The unit was redesignated as the 12th Bombardment Group and activated on 19 May 1947 as part of Tactical Air Command, although assigned to Langley AFB, Virginia, the unit was neither manned or equipped and was carried as an unassigned paper unit. It was inactivated on 10 September 1948, the 12th Fighter-Escort Group was activated at Turner Air Force Base, Georgia, on 27 October 1950, assigned to the Strategic Air Command Second Air Force. Its mission was to fly escort for Strategic Air Command B-50 Superfortress. The group had three squadrons under its control, SAC was founded by men who had flown bomb raids against Germany during World War II. They usually encountered swarms of fighters and knew the importance of having fighter escorts. On 1 November the Group was assigned to the new 12th Fighter-Escort Wing when the Hobson Plan took effect

7.
42d Air Base Wing
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The 42d Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air University of Air Education and Training Command. It is stationed at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama and is the host unit for Maxwell-Gunter, the wings primary mission is to support all activities of Air University, the 908th Airlift Wing and other tenant units stationed at Maxwell-Gunter. The wing was first activated shortly before the beginning of World War II as the 42d Bombardment Group and it conducted antisubmarine patrols off the Pacific coast following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The group provided units to reinforce the defenses of Alaska and to patrols against German U-boats in the Caribbean Sea. It was brought up to strength by the transfer of squadrons in 1943 when it moved to the Southwest Pacific Theater as part of Thirteenth Air Force. The 42d saw combat in the Solomon Islands, Russell Islands, New Guinea, the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for its pre-invasion bombing of Balikpapan from 23 to 30 June 1945. Its missions during the campaign in the Philippines earned it a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, the 42d was inactivated in Japan in the spring of 1946 after serving as part of the occupation forces there. The 42d Bombardment Wing was initially activated in 1953 with Convair B-36 Peacemakers as a component of Strategic Air Commands heavy bomber force. After two years flying the Peacemaker, it became the wing to fly the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. The wing maintained half of its planes on alert throughout the Cold War, and increased its commitment for the Lebanon crisis of 1958. The wing also provided aircraft and crews for the Vietnam War, the wing was consolidated with the group into a single unit in 1985. The consolidated unit was inactivated when its station, Loring Air Force Base. The wing was activated several months later as 42d Air Base Wing, replacing the 502d Air Base Wing as the host organization for Maxwell Air Force Base and it has supported all Air Force units in the Montgomery, Alabama region since that time. As of May 2014, the 42d Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Andrea D. Tullos and its Command Chief Master Sergeant as of June 2013 is Chief Master Sergeant Harry Hutchinson. The wing is the host unit for Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, the wing ensures airmen are ready to deploy in support of U. S. military operations worldwide and promotes their professional and personal growth. It supports more than 12,500 active duty, reserve, civilian, 42d Mission Support Group The 42nd Mission Support Group consists of over 2,200 military and civilian employees organized into five squadrons and one flight. The group provides contracting, security, civil engineering, operations/airfield support, personnel, communications, transportation, supply, fuels and services for 45,000 personnel. In addition, the group is responsible for maintaining a $2.2 billion physical plant including 4,106 acres,859 buildings,2,300 lodging rooms, utilities, the group oversees Team ITT, which provides base operating support services through a multi-year contract

8.
47th Operations Group
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The 47th Operations Group is the flying component of the 47th Flying Training Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command. The group is stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, the 47th Operations Group contains five flying squadrons, one support squadron, and a maintenance flight. The Operations Group is responsible for training US Air Force and allied nation pilots under the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Program, the group provides management, control, and standardization/evaluation of all aspects of flying training operations, aircraft maintenance, and airfield management at Laughlin AFB, Texas. Training at several bases in the midwest and southeast, it was first believed that the 47th would be sent to the South Pacific, Flying to a former Vichy French Air Force base at Mediouni, French Morocco. The aircrews used ferry tanks on their A-20s to cross the North Atlantic, the group began operations by flying low-level missions against the enemy in North Africa flying its first combat mission from Youks-les-Bains, Algeria on 13 December 1942. 47th Group A-20s provided valuable support to US and British ground forces, especially during. For these actions, the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation, the 47th remained active in combat during March and April 1943 while training for medium level bombardment. In 1943 the group was upgraded to the A-20G, which increased their forward firepower during low-level strafing missions, moving to Malta, the group participated in the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa in June 1943 and the invasion of Sicily in July. The group also bombed German evacuation beaches near Messina in August, the group supported the British Eighth Army during the invasion of Italy in September. The 47th began flying night intruder missions after June 1944. Returning to Italy, the group attacked German communications in northern Italy,1 September –4 April 1945, after January 1945, the 47th received some new Douglas A-26Cs which flew alongside its A-20s during the last four months of the war for specialized night attacks. The group flew support and interdictory operations attacking such targets as tanks, convoys, bivouac areas, troop concentrations, supply dumps, roads, pontoon bridges, rail lines, and airfields. The A-26 was regarded as being the USAAFs best twin-engined bomber, the 47th Bombardment Group returned to the United States in July 1945 and was reassigned to Seymour Johnson Field, North Carolina. Its mission was to prepare for redeployment to the Pacific Theater for night operations against Japan. Its black-painted A-26Cs were equipped with radar however the surrender by Japan in August 1945, with the closing of Seymour Johnson in August 1945, the group was reassigned to Lake Charles Army Air Field, Louisiana and was equipped with the Douglas A-26 Invader. At Lake Charles, the unit trained in tactical operations, conducted firepower demonstrations. The group was moved Biggs Field, Texas in October 1946 when Lake Charles became a Strategic Air Command base, at Biggs, the Group was reduced from four to three tactical squadrons when the 97th Bombardment Squadron was inactivated. On 1 February 1948, Biggs was also turned over to SAC, forcing a relocation of the group to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana in November

9.
380th Expeditionary Operations Group
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The 380th Expeditionary Operations Group is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. It is a unit stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The units World War II predecessor unit, the 380th Bombardment Group, in addition to flying combat missions, the group operated as a training unit for Royal Australian Air Force crews in B-24 operations. It was awarded both the United States Distinguished Unit Citation and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its service in Borneo, New Guinea. Reactivated in 2002, the 380 EOG conducts combat operations as part of the Global War on Terrorism, the 380 EOG conducts effective combat air refueling, airborne C2, and ISR in a joint and coalition environment. Redesignated as 380th Expeditionary Operations Group in early 2002 and activated, the 380th Bombardment Group was activated on 3 November 1942 at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. Originally, the 380th BMG consisted of four bombardment squadrons, the 528th, 529th, 530th, shortly after being activated, the group moved to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas where it underwent extensive combat training. After completing training, the 380th BMG moved to Lowry Field, Denver, the 380th was part of the 5th Air Force, and was known as the FLYING CIRCUS and as the KING OF THE HEAVIES. The 380th went overseas in April 1943 to become the second B-24 unit in the Fifth Air Force at that time after the 90th Bomb Group, the other Heavy Bomber unit flew B-17s. The Commands purpose was to engage in destroying Japanese strongholds in the Pacific, the 380th was assigned to train RAAF personnel on the B-24 and to secure Australias safety against a threatened Japanese invasion along its northern coast. Upon its arrival in Australia, the 380th BG immediately began combat operations, in April 1945, Far East Air Force relieved the 380th of its ground support commitments in the Philippines. During the month, the Group flew the first heavy bomber strikes against targets in China, in June 1945, the 380th was placed under the operational control of the 13th Air Force for pre-invasion attacks against Labuan and on the oil refineries at Balikpapan in Borneo. For nearly two weeks, the Groups Liberators kept these targets under a state of aerial siege, after the Borneo raids, the 380th flew its last combat missions to Taiwan. After the cessation of hostilities, the 380th moved to Okinawa, the group ferried released prisoners of war to Manila. In its service with the Australians, the 380th served longer under the control of an Allied country than any other Air Force unit. The 380th Bomb Group was inactivated at Clark Field on 20 February 1946, the basic unit of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II was the Group. Groups were built around the use of a specific type of airplane. In the case of the 380th, this was the B-24 Liberator Bomber and these planes were used in a particular class of mission suited to their capabilities

10.
392d Air Expeditionary Group
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The 392d Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed, the group was last active as the 392d Strategic Missile Wing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, where it briefly operated three early models of intercontinental ballistic missile during 1961. The group flew missions from RAF Wendling in England, earning a Distinguished Unit Citation. The group flew 285 combat missions, suffering 1552 casualties including 835 killed in action or line of duty and 184 aircraft lost, after VE Day the group returned to the United States and flew airlift missions until inactivated in September 1945. The group was reactivated in the Air Force Reserve in 1947 as a heavy bomber group. In 1949, it converted to a bomber group and was assigned to the wing under the wing base organization system. It was a unit of the 47th Bombardment Group until inactivating in November 1949. Media related to 392d Bombardment Group at Wikimedia Commons Activated 26 January 1943 at Davis Monthan AAFd, Arizona, the unit moved to Biggs Field, Texas, and on March 1943, and then to Alamogordo AAB, New Mexico on 18 April 1943. The ground unit left for the New York Port of Embarkation on 18 July 1943, the unit sailed out from New York on 25 July 1943, and arrived in England on 30 July 1943. Assigned to the Eighth Air Force at RAF Wendlingin East Anglia, the group was assigned to the 14th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a Circle-D. The 392d BG entered combat on 9 September 1943 and engaged primarily in bombardment of strategic objectives on the Continent until April 1945, the group hit enemy positions to assist ground forces at Saint-Lô during the breakthrough in July 1944. Bombed railroads, bridges, and highways to cut off German supply lines during the Battle of the Bulge, dropped supplies to Allied troops during the air attack on the Netherlands in September 1944 and during the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The 392d Bomb Group flew its last combat mission on 25 April 1945, the unit returned to Charleston AAF South Carolina on 25 June 1945 and was inactivated on 13 September 1945. Redeployed to the US May/June 1945, first of the aircraft departed the United Kingdom on 29 May 1945. Ground echelon sailed on Queen Mary on 15 June 1945, arriving in New York on 20 June 1945. Personnel had 30 days R and R with the unit assembling in Charleston AAFd, South Carolina, reactivated as a reserve corollary of the 47th Bombardment Wing, Light in 1949. Media related to 392d Strategic Missile Wing at Wikimedia Commons The wing was reformed in 1961 to control missile training operations at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc and it operated the Atlas missile, with the 564th SMS and the 565th SMS and the Titan. However it was eliminated by a reorganization of 1st Strategic Aerospace Division, in 2003, the wing was converted to provisional status as the 392d Air Expeditionary Group and assigned to Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate as needed

11.
449th Air Expeditionary Group
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The 449th Air Expeditionary Group is a provisional United States Air Force unit assigned to the Third Air Force supporting United States Africa Command. It is stationed at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti and its most recent assignment was to support the Africa Command and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa supporting varied U. S. objectives in the area. The group begin as the World War II 449th Bombardment Group in the spring of 1943, the group prepared for combat with Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. It moved to Italy by January 1944, and was assigned to the 47th Bombardment Wing of Fifteenth Air Force, the group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization. The group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations for its combat actions, after returning to the United States at the end of May 1945, the unit was assigned to Second Air Force, transitioned to B-29 Superfortresses, and was redesignated a Very Heavy bomb group. In the postwar era, the 449th Bombardment Group was one of the original ten bombardment groups assigned to Strategic Air Command, the wing inactivated in 1977 with the closure of Kincheloe AFB. In 1985 the group and the wing were consolidated, but remained inactive, in 2003 the unit was redesignated as the 449th Air Expeditionary Group and was assigned to United States Air Forces Europe to activate or inactivate as needed. Since 2008, the unit has controlled USAF activities in the Horn of Africa, the group was constituted as 449th Bombardment Group on 6 April 1943 and activated on 1 May at Davis-Monthan Field, Arizona. Its original components were the 716th, 717th, 718th, and it was assigned to II Bomber Command for combat training with B-24 Liberators. The first morning report was issued on 27 May 1943and listed as 52 officers and 33 enlisted men available for duty, over the next seven months the Group steadily increased to full strength as the training program progressed. In July 1943 the group moved to Alamogordo Army Airfield, New Mexico where second phase training was performed, in September the group again relocated, this time to Bruning Army Air Field, Nebraska. The move to Bruning was completed on 18 September 1943, at that time the 449th consisted of a total complement of 184 officers and 1,203 enlisted men. At Bruning the group received its new operational Consolidated B-24 Liberators, by December 1943, training was complete and the 449th was ordered overseas to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Each crew flew its aircraft overseas by the South Atlantic Transport Route which took them to Morrison Field, Florida, then to Puerto Rico, the Atlantic crossing was made from Brazil to Dakar, French West Africa. From Dakar the planes flew north to Tunis by way of Marrakech, from Tunis they flew to their forward operating base at Grottaglie Airfield near Taranto, Italy. The 449th was assigned to the 47th Bombardment Wing of the Fifteenth Air Force, the group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 4 April 1944 when the group, flying without escort, raided marshalling yards in Bucharest. Although heavily outnumbered by German fighters, the group succeeded not only in bombing the target, received another DUC for action on 9 July 1944 when the group flew through heavy smoke and intense enemy fire to attack an oil refinery at Ploiești. The group was ordered back to the United States during May after the German capitulation, the 449th was redesignated a Very Heavy bombardment group and was programmed for very long range strategic bombardment operations against the Japanese Home Islands using B-29 Superfortresses

12.
453rd Operations Group
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The 453rd Operations Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was to the 43d Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Souda Bay and it was activated as a temporary MAJCOM air refueling organization flying KC-135 Stratotankers as part of Operation Restore Hope. During World War II, its unit, the 453rd Bombardment Group was an Eighth Air Force B-24 Liberator heavy bombardment group stationed in England. Its 733d Bombardment Squadron completed 82 consecutive missions without a loss, james Stewart, of film fame, was Group Operations Officer from March 31 to July 1,1944. Constituted as the 453rd Bombardment Group on 14 May 1943, it was activated on 1 June 1943, moved to RAF Old Buckenham in East Anglia, December 1943 – January 1944, and assigned to Eighth Air Force. The group was assigned to the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing, the 453rd BG entered combat on 5 February 1944 with an attack against an airfield at Tours. Throughout combat, the unit served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization, the group took part in the concentrated attack against the German aircraft industry during Big Week, 20–25 February 1944. Besides strategic operations, the group engaged in support and interdictory missions, attacked enemy troops in support of the Allied breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July. Bombed German communications during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – January 1945, james Jimmy Stewart, the Hollywood movie star, was Group Operations Officer at Old Buckenham during the spring of 1944. The actor Walter Matthau also served in the group as a radioman-gunner, the 453rd Bomb Group flew its last combat mission in April. Initially it was prepared for redeployment to the Pacific theatre using B-29 Superfortresses. However hostilities in Europe had ceased before the group had time to start its movement and it returned to New Castle AAFld, Delaware on 9 May 1945 and was inactivated on 12 September 1945. The plans are for the erection of two Nissen Huts, one of which house an items described as having the potential to be the largest collection of 453rd Bomb Group memorabilia in existence. Airfields of the Eighth, Then and Now, after the Battle ISBN 0-900913-09-6 Freeman, Roger A. The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record, ISBN 0-304-35708-1 Maurer, Maurer, ed. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History, Maurer, Maurer, ed. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II. Washington, DC, Office of Air Force History

The 20th Operations Group (20 OG) is a component of the 20th Fighter Wing, assigned to the United States Air Force Air …

Emblem of the 20th Operations Group

General Dynamics F-16CJ Block 50D (91-0380) of the 55th Fighter Squadron returns to the parking ramp after another local training mission

F-16CJ Block 50C (91-0347) from the 77th Fighter Squadron

A P-12B of the 55th Pursuit Squadron. The squadron insignia at the time was a medium blue circle with a yellow surround, on which was superimposed a yellow swastika. This was the squadron insignia until 4 May 1932.